Telling people about Lent, and the wonderful traditions associated
with this time of year, can be a great form of evangelisation.
Often people are fascinated to know about the very simplest things
- why we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, what the word "Shrove"
means, what the ashes on Ash Wednesday mean, and so on. Even
we church goers, although we understand the basic concept of
Lent can be ignorant about some of these things, and so the season
becomes just a rather dreary time of waiting until Easter, instead
of a season in its own right, with its own rich traditions.
So let's start evangelising! Let's start with the basics.
Most people in Britain probably know that, each Spring, we commemorate
the great events of Christ's passion and death - his terrible
suffering by scourging, his crucifixion, his burial in the tomb,
and then his glorious Resurrection. People may not know, however,
that these all coincide with - and are a great fulfilment of
- the central Jewish feast of the Passover. Scott Hahn has produced
some great tapes on this available from St Anthony's Tapes, Mt
Carmel, St Bridge Lane, Saundersfoot, Dyfed, Wales SA69 9HL.
The Catholic truth Society also has a terrific range of books
and pamphlets including tried and trusted classics plus material
from newer authors and items suitable for family use. Available
from CTS, 40-46 Harleyford Road, London SE11 5AY.
The reason Lent lasts for 40 days is that it is a reminder
of the 40 years that the jews spent in the desert on their way
to the Promised Land. The number 40 is very important for Christians
- that's why when groups of martyrs are canonised, the collective
number is always 40. Children will be intrigued to count up the
days of Lent on a calendar and find out that, yes, it is exactly
40 days - if you miss out the Sundays (Each Sunday is a day free
from penance, because it is the Lord's Day)
Lent is traditionally a period during which we fast and work
on a spiritual renewal of ourselves. The three tradition disciplines
that the Church recommends are prayer, fasting and almsgiving………
The ashes we wear on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday are an
ancient and public symbol of mourning, sorrow or repentance.
This is underlined by the priest who when he marks our foreheads
on Ash Wednesday, says "Repent and Believe the Gospel".
If you remember the people of Ninevah showed their repentance
by wearing sackcloth and ashes. This is even true today and when
a public figure repents of some transgression the or she is often
described as "wearing sackcloth and ashes".
The ashes we receive on Ash Wednesday are always made from
burning the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday. You can
bring this alive for your children by perhaps doing this with
your own palm leaf at home, simply by lighting the end of it
(best done in the garden or over the sink!) and watching it slowly
crumble to ash under the flickering blue flame.
So where does the tradition of pancakes originate? Simple
- if we are to take Lent seriously it makes sense to eat up all
the luxury foods beforehand, so that our fasting will be genuine.
Hence the tradition of eating pancakes on the day before Lent
begins - Shrove Tuesday. The word "Shrove" doesn't
refer specifically to pancakes. It's the old English word for
going to confession: you are "shriven" of your sins.
This is a reminder to us that we should go to confession during
Lent - this is central to our renewal. A pancake party on Shrove
Tuesday is fun, and a good way to prepare for Lent. It is worth
looking up some good pancake recipes beforehand and inviting
friends and neighbours around. Some friends of mine take it in
turns to say what they are going to give up for Lent as they
toss the pancake. They then enjoy suggesting Lenten torments
to each other. Activities like this help children get an innate
feel for religious seasons of the year.
Unlike our ancestors, we probably won't fast from meat and
eggs and dairy products.But it is important that we do something.
Ascetic practices have rather dropped out of fashion but maybe
it is time to revive it. It's good to do extra positive things
for Lent, but there is no harm in a bit of mortification too
- no sweets, no TV, no alcohol, no favourite snacks between meals.
It does help us to affirm that we are spiritual beings, not merely
controlled by the "I want it therefore I deserve it!"
culture of modern consumerist Britain.
Being shriven in confession is a central part of our Faith
and in fact the Church calls us to do this at least once a year.
There may be some friend or colleague who would be open to returning
to this Sacrament after a long gap, and just needs some encouragement
and help. Lent is our opportunity to help. We should pray about
this. For many people, it is something that gets pushed aside
for a long while, causing secret sadness and pain - and spiritual
damage. Sometimes just a casual remark, a reference to the fact
that we are going, an offer of a lift in the car, can open the
way for a person to sort things out with God. Or one can talk
about a positive experience one has had in confession. Sometimes
it helps to suggest the anonymity of visiting a big cathedral
or city church.
These can seem like little things but honouring Lent properly
and sharing it with others will help renew not only our own faith
but help us to pass it on to those around us and help our faith
to be incarnated in our family culture even if it is disappearing
in the wider world.
Joanna Bogle is author of "Book of Feasts and Seasons"
£5.95 which is available from Gracewing, 2 Southern Avenue,
Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 ONQ.
NEXT ISSUE THE DRAMA OF HOLY WEEK AND EASTER
